


Surge of Destruction

by ninjalololover



Category: Ninjago - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Death, Gen, Murder, Torture, bad things happen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:20:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22782406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninjalololover/pseuds/ninjalololover
Summary: A collection of fics I've written for onemonochromekid and vlanderzine amazing au Surge of Destruction on tumblr.
Kudos: 16





	1. Recruitment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lloyd is sick of following the rules and recruits the ninja to his new cause.

“Hey Kai, can we talk?”

The red ninja stopped his cleaning and turned to see his little brother standing at the door, staring at his feet. Glad for any excuse to stop cleaning, he walked up to Lloyd and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “Of course we can, what's up?”

“Well…” Lloyd looked around, scanning his surroundings, the crowds of people, “Can we go somewhere private?”

Kai nodded, forcing himself to hold in questions. Whatever was going on with his little brother, he'd find out. They wandered away from the crowds, finding themselves on a nearby rooftop, alone. “So, what do you want to talk about?” 

“I'm done, Kai,” Lloyd began, staring out over the city. “Done with it all. Saving the city, risking my life without a choice. I'm done.” 

“Lloyd, what's this about?” Kai moved closer to him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, his expression full of concern. “Did something happen?”

He sighed, “Everything happened Kai, everything! There's always some disaster, some crisis that needs stopping and it always falls to me and I'm sick of it!” He turned to Kai, his green eyes glinting with red, “I'm done saving the city. And I want you to join me.” 

Kai stepped back, surprised to see the red in Lloyd's vibrant green eyes. “And do what?” He asked cautiously, careful not to move any further back.

Lloyd glared down at the city, “Show them what we can really do,” he replied darkly. 

Kai frowned, confuses. Was this really his Lloyd? Was his little brother really this, this angry? He couldn't say he hadn't thought about it before. Letting go of his responsibilities, letting loose, the feeling of freedom that came with his powers. “Are you sure about this?” He asked, reaching out a comforting hand, “I'll always be behind you Lloyd but… is this what you really want?” 

“Yes.” Lloyd nodded sharply, glaring down at the city. “So, will you join me?”

“Always,” Kai replied, pulling Lloyd into a hug. He smiled and released him, looking down at the city, he couldn't wait to let loose. “What about the others?” 

“I want to ask them to join me, join us, too,” he explained, “After that, well, who knows what'll happen.”

Kai grinned, “Sounds like a plan.”

———

Jay was lying on a mound of junk. Technically, he was waiting for his parents to come and collect it, but in reality he was resting, and hiding. Wu had roped them into cleaning the city, again, and he was tired of cleaning. 

He froze when the junk shifted underneath him. It couldn't be his parents, he'd have heard them arrive if it were. “Yo Jay! Get down here before this junk crushes us!” 

Jay screeched and stood, stumbling under the shifting junk. He rushed down the pile and went straight into a wall. Two voices laughed behind him. Jay turned, rubbing his nose, to see Kai and Lloyd standing there, sniggering.

“That was rude,” Jay snarked, crossing his arms. “I'm just guarding this junk until my parents come pick it up,” he added, his voice rushed. 

“Yeah sure you are,” Kai replied, smirking, “But that's not what why we're here,” he added, his tone turning serious. 

Both he and Lloyd watched Jay with wary expressions. “I'm done,” Lloyd started, staring intensely at Jay, “I'm done being a hero.”

Jay's eyes widened, was he serious? He made eye contact with Kai, who gave a brief nod. He turned back to Lloyd, the red ring in his eyes unmistakeable. “Oh-kay then, so you're done being a hero, does that mean you're done being the Green Ninja? Well that's great, what about the team? What even are you doing, recruiting us one by one? Who's next, Cole? Zane? Nya? Have you even–”

“Jay, please stop,” Lloyd interrupted. 

He did, finally taking in a breath. “Right, sorry.” Jay sighed, running a hand through his hair, “But seriously Lloyd, what's going on?”

“Exactly what I said Jay, I'm done with this, with everything,” Lloyd explained, his eyes going more red, “I'm sick of having no say in my future. I'm only the Green Ninja because of some stupid prophecy. I want to make my own choices, I want Ninjago to see what I can really do.” 

“So Jay, are you with us?” Kai asked, one hand wrapped around Lloyd's shoulders, “Or against us?” 

Jay studied the pair. They both watched him with serious expressions, waiting. Truthfully, he was tired. So very tired. No matter what they did, villains always showed up, preaching their own flawed beliefs, ready to destroy whatever they wanted. It was tiring. Could he really join Lloyd and become the destructor? Become the villain? 

He looked Lloyd and Kai, his brothers, standing strong and confident. He trusted them. Believed in them. Regardless of the consequences.

He reached out a hand. “I'm with you.” 

–––

Lloyd had wanted to talk to the rest of the team individually, but he couldn’t seem to catch Cole, Zane or Nya alone. With Kai and Jay by his side, he felt brave. Strong. The sooner he recruited the others, the sooner they could get started. Before his uncle could rope them into another chore or, even worse, another villain decided to show up. 

“Hey guys, can we talk?” Lloyd called, catching their attention with an exaggerated wave. The trio were sitting in Ninjago’s main park, clearing up the damage done by Garmadon’s rule and the Oni attack. 

Cole put down the tree he was holding and waved Lloyd closer. “Of course! We could use a break,” he replied. 

They wandered to nearby seating and took a chance to relax. Zane pulled out drinks from their bag and passed them around. “Is everything alright Lloyd?” He asked, noticing Lloyd’s distant expression. 

Lloyd glanced across and Kai and Jay, who both nodded and stood close to his sides in support. Emboldened, he stood from his seat and faced the trio who were all watching him with concerned expressions. “I- I’m done being a hero and I want you all to join me,” he explained, rushing through his speech, “I’ve done so much for Ninjago and I hate it. This isn’t what I ever wanted to do, to be. The Green Ninja, being everyone’s hero, I never had a choice but now… Now I'm making a choice. I want to show them all what I, what we can all, really do.” Kai and Jay each put a supportive hand on his shoulders. He gave them both a small nod of thanks, “So, will you join me? Join us?” He asked, his voice firm. 

They stared at him, their eyes wide with shock and confusion. 

“Wait, are you serious?” Cole exclaimed, standing too. “You want to what, be evil? Seriously?” He stared at Lloyd, his little brother, standing tall in front of him with a hard, determined expression. Sure, he remembered when Lloyd had first learned of his destiny, upset and angry. He remembered the nights they’d all spent awake, tired and struggling to recover from their adventures. Lloyd’s green eyes shone, the ring of red unmistakeable. Both Kai and Jay mirrored Lloyd’s determined expression. They really were serious, weren’t they?

“We protect Ninjago, not destroy it!” Nya argued. She couldn’t believe her eyes, how could anyone think it was okay to just destroy things, it’s what they fought to stop! Sure, this last battle had hit them pretty hard but they recovered, just like they always do. Her little brother was so sweet, how could he want to do this to the city? She looked to Kai, who was watching her carefully, his expression determined but his eyes, his eyes were almost pleading. She knew Kai had the tendency to destroy things but that didn’t make him evil. Even Jay, he was an inventor, a creator at heart! How… Why weren’t they helping them convince Lloyd to stay with them? 

“Let us all… talk about this,” Zane said, trying to calm the rising tension. “We’ve all been through a lot Lloyd, but is going against the city really the right choice?” He recognised the steely determination on Lloyd’s face. All three of them looked ready to see this through, no matter what were to happen. Could he even join them? He knew what he was built for, to protect others. Lloyd talked about choices, did he have a choice too? He sighed, no. He couldn’t join them, he couldn’t hurt others. That was his choice. He could only hope that Lloyd, Kai and Jay would make the same decision. 

“Of course I’m serious!” Lloyd snapped back, frustrated at their hesitation. “You want us all to talk? Well, I’ll go first. This is the right choice, I’m sick and tired of being told to be a hero, of saving people who only care about my title, not me! They don’t deserve any of it, they deserve to feel the fear I did,” Lloyd glared at each of them in turn, he straightened himself and took a step forward, “You can either join me, or get out of the way.” 

Kai joined Lloyd, giving his little brother a warm smile. Jay stepped forwards too, twisting his fingers but standing tall. He gave both Kai and Lloyd a small smile, then turned to the ninja with a steely expression. 

Nya stomped her foot, “We won’t let you destroy Ninjago!” She shouted, stepping face to face with Lloyd, “This is a mistake and you know it.” 

Cole and Zane joined her sides, facing Kai and Jay respectively. “Please, we do not need to fight,” Zane said, his hands up in a placating gesture, “Let us just sit down and talk.” 

“I’m done talking!” Lloyd shouted. He stomped his foot, sending green energy billowing out towards Cole, Nya and Zane. They were sent flying backwards from the energy. Cole recovered first, the surprise and hurt on his face nearly enough to make them reconsider, but it was too late to turn back. Nya and Zane stood, both with pained and hurt expressions. 

“Kai-” Nya tried, her eyes wide and welling with tears. 

He turned away from her, gesturing to Lloyd and Jay to follow. “Let’s go,” he said, “We’re done here.” 

Lloyd nodded, glancing back over his shoulder, the anger plain on his face. “Yeah, we are.”


	2. Meeting Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai and Nya meet on the battlefield.

Nya covered her head with her hands, hiding behind what was left of someone's home. Bits of flaming rock and debris shot up around her, sent flying by Kai's fire blasts. 

She wished there was backup, but at least her friends were distracting the others. Nya sighed, focusing her energy. She could do this, she wouldn't let them down, she couldn't. 

“Oh come on Nya,” Kai called, pausing his barrage of fire and stalking, “You're so boring, just hiding away.” He pulled what remains of her cover away, smirking at her small scream of surprise. “Who let you be a ninja anyway?” 

“I did!” Nya shouted, shooting her hand towards his face, sending a stream of water into him. 

Kai stumbled backwards in surprise, giving Nya a chance to get up and create some distance. She pulled out her spear and pointed it towards him. “Just give up, you know this is wrong!”

Kai laughed, his eyes glinting in the firelight. He waved his arms methodically, mimicking Nya's pose with his own spear made of fire. “Is it really all that wrong? To be free?”

He raised his spear and thrust it at Nya, cackling. She raised her own to block it, but the fire went through and rammed into her shoulder. 

Nya screamed in pain, summoning a burst of water to douse the flames. “Please Kai! Don't do this, this isn't you!” 

“Isn't it?” He replied, he summoned his fire into two swords, grinning. “Aren't you happy for me Nya? I'm finally free to do as I please and all you want is to take it away.”

Nya laughed despite her fear, her adrenaline lessening the burning pain in her shoulder. “You call this freedom? You call murdering innocents freedom?” She picked up her fallen spear and aimed it at Kai, “I will never support this!”

She struck, summoning water the accentuate her blows. Kai fought back even harder, creating new swords at the same time as Nya doused them. He sliced across her arm, the flames setting her gi on fire. She quickly doused the flames, ignoring the pain shooting up her arm and jabbed back, narrowly missing Kai's neck. She backflipped from the fight, sending water at Kai to give her an opening. 

Her shoulder ached, her arm ached, her whole body wanted to stop. He was really trying to kill her, wasn't he? The tears welled up in her eyes, the reality of the situation finally hitting her. Her brother, her best friend, who practically raised her, wanted her dead.

“Awww, are you crying?” Kai teased, “Is this fight too tough for you? Would it help if I went easier on you?” His smirk gave away his cruel intentions. 

Nya glared, picking up her spear and pointing it at Kai. “You're a jerk,” she spat. Nya created another spear out of water and threw it at Kai, leaping after it. 

He turned the water into steam, laughing as Nya jabbed the spear at his head. “You're really bad at this you know, want me to show you how it's done?” 

She screamed in response, throwing a fist into his face. Her hand burned when it connected, the tears that had been welling in her eyes now pouring down her cheeks. 

Kai laughed at her pain. “Aww, too hot?” He grabbed her spear, melting it in half, “Maybe this will be cooler for you.” He knelt and swept Nya's feet out from under her, sending her crashing to the ground. 

He stood over her, summoning a spear made of fire. 

Nya's eyes widened and she rolled from left to right as Kai brought the spear down towards her face. “Kai, stop! Please!” 

“You know sis, begging isn't a good look on you,” he replied, staring down at her fearful expression with glee. “But, it is what you're good at.”

Her heart shattered. She kicked upwards and rolled away from Kai, shakily standing. “You, you're a monster!” She yelled, openly sobbing, “You're not my brother, you're nothing but a monster!” 

Kai paused, staring down at his hands. He looked back up at Nya, her eyes puffy, her cheeks stained with tears, her gi covered in scorch marks, fists clenched. Maybe he really was a monster. “You really think I'm a monster?” He asked quietly, narrowing his eyes. 

Nya wiped her face, though it did nothing to stop the tears or dry her face. “Look at what you've done!” She shouted, her good arm gesturing around at their surroundings. “Of course you are.” 

“Then I'll show you a monster.” 

Kai opened his arms, fire curling up his arms. His eyes started to glow, the temperature around them rising. 

Nya watched in horror, her body was screaming in pain now. It was so hot. So, so hot.

She flinched at the hand on her shoulder. It was Cole, looking worse for wear with sweat pouring down his face. “We need to get out of here,” he panted.

She turned back to Kai, the fiery expression on his face terrifying her. His arms were on fire now, anything flammable around them burning to a crisp. Nya let Cole lift her up to a standing position. 

“Where do you think you're going?” Kai called, his voice dripping with malice. 

“Away,” Cole replied, forcing a grin, “See you later.” 

A blast of ice from above gave them much needed relief from the intense heat. Cole held onto Nya tightly and jumped, using the earth to give him a boost. He reached out and grabbed an anchor. Nya sighed with relief, it was the Bounty. 

Zane pulled them up onto the deck, already looking over Nya's wounds. She ignored him and stared down at the village. Even from here she could hear Kai's frustrated shouts, the village disappearing under a giant fireball. 

Her brother really was gone. She collapsed onto the deck, cradling her head in her hands. Her shoulders shook from the force of her sobs. Cole and Zane knelt down next to her, enveloping her into a hug. 

At least they had each other.


	3. Manipulation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lloyd defects, and Kai isn't happy.

Kai was getting worried. It had been nearly a week since Lloyd had left to get supplies. He had insisted on going alone, ensuring that he would be absolutely fine and back in no time. What if he had been captured by the ninja? Or worse… Kai doubted they could actually kill Lloyd but the fear was there, lurking in the back of his mind. 

He considered talking to Jay about his worries, but the master of lightning was sitting cross-legged at the entrance to their hideout, static sending his hair pointing up, electricity arcing down his arms. Jay often became spacey when he was conjuring a storm, his energy focused far away made it hard for him to be in the moment. 

Lloyd had been acting differently lately. When they went to villages, he seemed less interested in causing harm, his face often showing guilt. But what did he have to feel guilty about? He was finally doing what he wanted, with his brothers by his side. Kai stared out of their hideout, his expression turned into a frown. He hadn’t considered it before, he didn’t want to indulge the possibility, but what if he’d left them? 

“I’m going out,” Kai announced, walking past Jay towards the exit. 

Jay made a noise in recognition, his eyes staring past Kai into the distance. He could ask him for help but Kai decided he would go alone. He had to know. 

Kai picked a village close to the Monastery, though they would try to stay away from that area, he wanted the ninja to come. The villagers were more relaxed when he arrived, he guessed they weren’t afraid of being targeted, their loss. Kai ignited his hands, his eyes glowing bright red, and threw fire into the village centre, sending a fountain and several surrounding building up in flames. The flames spread quickly, reducing houses to ash within seconds. Kai stood on the melted rock that used to be the fountain, smiling as the villagers screamed from inside their homes, unable to get out. Smiling as the villagers outside ran around, their clothes on fire, unable to find anything to put them out. 

“KAI!” 

He grinned, finally. 

The ninja stood on their ship, flying above the chaos. He laughed and raised his arms, the flames around him reaching up to the sky, like hands grabbing at their ship. He laughed again as the ninja steered the ship higher, trying to avoid the fire reaching towards them. There was a thud behind him as one of the ninja landed, the earth rippling from the contact. 

“Oh, hello Cole,” Kai said without turning, recognising the master of earth’s power. “Tell me,” he spun around, grabbing the scythe aimed at his head and melting it into pieces in his fist, “have you seen Lloyd anywhere?” 

Kai dodged Cole’s punch and returned it with a flaming elbow to his face. He stood over Cole, enjoying the sounds of his screams. “I could end the suffering, if you tell me where Lloyd is,” Kai whispered, kneeling down into his ears. 

Cole responded by rising with a punch. Kai laughed at the attempt and grabbed his wrist, his smile growing with Cole’s anguished screams. “Just tell me where he is!” Kai yelled, tossing Cole into the flaming remains of a building. He stared up at the Bounty, his eyes sparking, “Where is Lloyd??” He shouted. 

He frowned as three bodies dropped from the ship, one headed towards Cole while the others came for him. Maybe they struck a deal with Lloyd, he couldn’t be with them, not really.

Lloyd landed in front of him, his green eyes glowing. Shouldn’t they be red? Nya was behind him, she looked scared but, why? 

“What do you want Kai?” Lloyd asked, not meeting his eyes. 

“Where the hell have you been?” Kai retorted, “You said you’d be back days ago, what happened?” 

“Kai…” 

“Did they, capture you? We can leave now, let’s just go home,” Kai continued. He didn’t want to entertain the idea that had been haunting him ever since he’d left their hideout. 

“Kai… I joined them.” 

“You WHAT?” The fires around him exploded, sending sparks flying around them. Lloyd created a shield of green energy around himself and Nya to protect them from the fire. It couldn’t be true, Lloyd couldn’t have just left him. 

“I joined them Kai!” Lloyd shouted over the raging fire, “I- I couldn’t do it anymore, I can’t keep murdered innocents! It was wrong!” He walked closer to Kai, still staying within the green shield. “Come back with me Kai, we don’t have to do this anymore.” 

_ Lloyd stared at the ground, his green eyes flecked with red. "Will- will you join me?" He asked, his voice tainted with fear. _

_ “I’ll always be by your side little brother,” Kai said, pulling Lloyd into a hug.  _

_ “Thank you Kai,” Lloyd replied, his smile wide.  _

Kai screamed, the glow of his fists rising up his arms. He ran at the shield and attacked, leaving smoking dents in the shield. “I did this because of you!” He yelled, “All of this, was because of you!” 

“Kai, it’s okay. We can stop hurting people, it’s not too late,” Lloyd tried again, his hands up in a placating gesture. 

_ Kai winced at the screams of villagers, his fire spreading across the straw rooftops. Lloyd stood in front of him, a wide smile on his face, his hands ignited with green energy that he shot towards the village streets.  _

_ He glanced back at Kai, noticing the conflict in his face. “It’s okay Kai,” Lloyd said, “They deserve it, after everything Ninjago has put us through, they deserve to feel some pain too, right?”  _

_ Kai nodded, of course he was right. They deserved this. He ignited his own hands, sending fireballs towards the villagers. He didn’t wince this time.  _

Kai stopped punching. Lloyd didn’t care, did he? Not really. So long as he did what he wanted, what did it matter about the rest of us. “I didn’t want to hurt people,” Kai said, his voice soft, “But you,” he glared at Lloyd, “You convinced me to let loose,” his voice rose, “You convinced me to kill!” 

He summoned a large fireball over his fist and sent it through the shield, shattering it. “Congratulations Lloyd,” Kai said darkly, sauntering towards a stunned Lloyd, “You created a monster. Are you happy now?” He sent his fist down towards Lloyd but was knocked aside by a blast of water. He could just make out a figure in the steam, leaning over where Lloyd was. 

Kai summoned more fire, shooting it in their direction. “You’re the real monster Lloyd!” He screamed, “You made me trust you, follow you, and now you’re abandoning me because you chickened out! You’re pathetic!” He raced forwards, through the steam, and spotted Nya and Lloyd rushing away on the other side. 

“COWARDS!” Kai shouted, sending fireballs their way as they rose up towards their ship. “You’re a monster Lloyd! A coward and a monster and you better not forget it!” Kai screamed after them. 

His whole body shook with rage. How could he have been so stupid, to let Lloyd so, so easily manipulate him! A warm glow rose from underneath his skin. He screamed, his voice filled with rage and pain. All around him, the remaining buildings and land went up in flames. As quickly as the fire had risen, it disappeared. Leaving Kai standing in the middle of a crater, not a ruin or body in sight. 


	4. Feral

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nya returns home, to Ignacia, to find Kai.

“It's Ignacia.” Zane winced at the bang. He turned to see Nya with her fist in a wooden panel. 

Before he could speak, she held up a hand, cutting him off. “I'm fine,” she snapped. “Let's just hurry up and get there.”

Zane nodded and activated the Bounty's boosters. They'd need to refuel sooner, but he'd rather get there sooner. Though, he wasn't looking forward to wait they might find.

———

Nya gasped from the deck, leaning over the railing and staring down at the town, her old home, or at least what was left of it. The entire village was destroyed, the only hints of buildings dark mounds of cooled lava and small fires that were still feeding off the wooden buildings. She struggled to get her bearings, the rice fields a barren and charred wasteland. The hill the blacksmith shop sat on now a crater, a dip instead of a rise in the landscape. 

Cole stood beside her, taking in the destruction. “Ready to go?” He asked, frowning at the destruction. 

She shook her head, “They're not here Cole, I want to go alone.” 

“Are you sure?”

She nodded, “Yeah, I'll be fine. Promise.” Nya swung her legs over the Bounty and leapt down to the ground, using the rope ladder for support. 

Tears welled in her eyes when she hit the ground, the air still thick with the scent of smoke and burnt bodies. She searched through the town, trying not to think of what, or who, she was walking on. There were no bodies, no signs of life, nothing but mounds of solid rock. Stone foundations that had been melted down to the lumpy remains they were now. 

With a deep breath, Nya headed past the fields and towards the crater. Thankfully, most of her prized possessions were on the Bounty. But still, there was one thing far more important than her possessions. 

She stood at the edge of the crater, staring down at the nothing that used to be her home. If she closed her eyes, she could picture the shop. The counter for serving villagers, the open forge, weapons displayed on the walls. And, further into the store, their home. The kitchen. The bedrooms. A small smile formed, the memories. 

Her smile broke when she opened her eyes, staring down into the crater and– and what was that? 

She slid down into the crater, the closer she got, the more nervous she got. Bile rose up in her throat, her stomach twisting in horror. It was a body. 

The limbs were twisted and broken. Bite marks of a small animal or possibly… Slashes along the body, four clear marks side by side. Was that a smaller fifth one… She didn't want to think of what could have done this. 

And yet, the body wasn't burnt. Despite all the damage there were no burns, no fire damage at all. Who could… 

Nya twisted away and threw up, the horror too much to hold back. Only one person in Ignacia could survive a fire. And there was only one person sick enough to attack another so viciously.

She collapsed onto her knees, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed. Although there was no body, her mother was gone, disintegrated into nothing. Her father, she didn't dare look, had been murdered, attacked by nothing more than a wild animal. That's all he was now, a wild animal. A monster. 

Nya stood, her legs wobbly. She climbed out of the crater and waved down the Bounty. She was filled with determination. 

Her brother was a monster. And she would be the one to put him down. 

———

She glared at the screen, their patience had paid off. 

“I'll handle Kai,” she stated, turning her glare onto Zane and Cole, “You guys help the villagers.” 

Nya didn't bother waiting for their responses. She pulled out the rope ladder and used it to descend into the flaming town. She summoned water around her, to both soften her landing and put out the raging fires. Villagers, ones who were still alive, screamed and ran towards the most terrified and pleading cries. 

Flames erupted into steam as Nya shot streams of water towards them. She sped around a corner and balked, not sure how to begin processing what she was seeing. 

Villagers were trying to run, begging for mercy. But no one was spared. The monster was on all fours, leaping with flaming hands and glowing eyes, tearing villagers apart. Nya steadied herself on a smoking pillar, her stomach twisting with disgust. The monster knelt down over one villager and bit down on their arm, tearing it back with his teeth.

With a deep breath, she pushed herself up and approached. Was he… smiling? 

“STOP IT!” She screamed, tightly gripping her spear. 

Kai froze, his head twisting towards Nya. Blood dripped from his mouth, sharp teeth poking through his malicious smile. His hands dug into the ground, sharp claws sinking into the dirt. “Oh hello Nya,” he crooned. He sauntered closer, his claws clicking when they hit melted stone. “How are you?”

Nya snapped her jaw shut, swallowing her horror. “I saw what you did,” she stammered, the spear shaking in her hands.

He moved closer, his smile wide. “Oh, you'll have to be more specific. I've done a lot of things.” 

She stumbled backwards, not wanting him to get any closer. The stench of blood thick in the air. “You murdered them! My parents!” She shouted, pointing the tip of her spear at Kai.

“Don't you mean our parents?” He asked, now standing, his hands dripping by his sides. “It was rather nice to meet someone who didn't just burn up. It's rather boring that–”

Nya jabbed her spear at his face, her eyes shining. He knocked the spear aside and leapt towards her. His hands landed on her shoulders, claws digging into her skin and knocked her to the ground. 

“Well, that was rude.”

She spat up into his face, her stomach turning from the stench of his breath. “You're disgusting.” She tried to twist free of his grip, but his claws were digging deep into her shoulders, pinning her down. “Let me go you freak!” 

Kai laughed, his sharp teeth on display. “If you really miss them, I can help you see them again.” He lifted his hand from her shoulder, sliding his claws through her skin. She screamed from the pain and Kai grinned. He raised his hand, aiming the sharp points of his fingers towards her face. 

“Kai–”

A wave of ice smashed into Kai, knocking him back. They disappeared into a cloud of steam from the melting ice. Nya felt two strong hands grip her shoulders pull her backwards. She gasped from the pain, her shoulders bleeding freely, soaking her gi. Cole pulled her up, pressing his hands into her wounds. Zane stood behind them, a steady blast of ice pouring from his hands. 

A strangled yell came from the steamy cloud. The shadow of a creature on all fours visible through the fog. As the yelling got louder, the trio backed away, heading for the Bounty's dangling rope ladder. 

Nya let herself be lifted up and carried, her shoulders too sore to move. 

“Look out!” Zane cried from above them, shooting ice down towards Kai with his free hand. 

His sharp claws dug into Nya's dangling leg, the flurry of ice a mere inconvenience, “Not, done, with, you!” He panted, his other arm rising to grab her other leg. 

Zane hooked his arm and legs into the ladder, hanging forwards to get a better angle while Cole tried to pull Nya free. “Let go!” He shouted, pouring all his energy into his powers, sending a wall of solid ice straight for Kai. 

Nya screamed as Kai was torn free of her ankle, breathing heavily as Cole lifted her up and onto the Bounty. Zane knelt over her, quickly tending her wounds. 

“I– I can't believe that's really him,” Cole said, once they were high in the sky. “He's… changed.”

Nya coughed, her shoulders aching. “He's a monster,” she spat, glaring at her slashed leg. “And we will put him down.” 


	5. Murderer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nya confronts Kai over the death of their parents.

The town around them was in smoking ruins, hisses of dying fires in heavy rain. Kai stood in the town’s centre, staring up at the sky. Was this Jay, creating a storm to help or was it something, someone, else…

“You murderer!”

Kai turned, sparks flying from his glowing eyes. Standing in the ruins was a face he’d never wanted to see. Nya.

“You killed them!” She screamed, her voice as clear as day over the raging storm. “Our parents are dead, all because of you!”

The rain intensified, directing itself towards Kai. It sizzled against his skin, erupting into steam. He sauntered towards Nya, the rain barely affecting his pace. “Can you really call them that?” He taunted, “It’s not like they really did any parenting.”

Thunder clapped. “Don’t you dare talk about them!” Nya screamed, summoning a stream of water and sending it flying towards Kai.

He opened his arms, creating a ball of fire. The two elements connected, exploding into a cloud of steam. His eyes lit up the steam, giving his surroundings a warm red glow.

A shadow appeared in the steam, rushing towards him. Nya, her body surrounded by armour made out of water, attacked Kai. Each strike punctuated by a guttural scream. He blocked each attack with ease, his boiling skin turning the protective water armour into steam.

Nya drew from the rain to keel up her armour, trading blows with the monster that used to be her brother. Her best friend. The steam surrounding them made it hard to see, but Kai’s eyes shone through, making him an easy target.

She screamed as Kai’s fist connected with her side, searing her skin. Nya pushed her arms forwards, sending the rest of her armour and the pouring rain streaming towards Kai, sending her stumbling backwards.

Nya tripped over some rubble, smacking her head against the ground. She spun to stand, stopping when she felt the intense heat above her. Glowing red eyes stared down at her, glowing fists open and ready to block her escape. “You’re a monster,” she spat, summoning more water around her. “You’ve destroyed so many lives, murdered so many people.” She sent the water shooting towards him, screaming, “ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?”

Kai only laughed. He stood strong as the water erupted into steam around him. His hand emerged through the cloud and grabbed the front of Nya’s gi. He ignored her screams of pain as his fist burned her skin. “You know what sis, I am pretty happy.”

He grabbed her chin, ignoring the whimpers and tears streaming down her face. “And I have you to thank for it.” He let go of her chin and struck, letting go of her gi and letting her fall to the ground. “So, thanks, sis.”

The rain stopped.

Kai knelt down next to Nya, nudging her with his hand. She didn’t move, didn’t cry out, her eyes staring up blankly at the sky. Did he just…

This is what he wanted right? He liked this, right? The destruction, the chaos, it was wonderful. To be free to use his powers. He was already a monster. This is what monsters did. She thought he was a monster.

She.

His sister.

Nya.

Something knocked Kai to the ground, hissing as it made contact with his skin. He turned to see Zane, his gi and shoulder half melted from the contact with his skin. He was leaning over Nya, probably trying to revive her. Because she was gone.

And he had killed her.

His sister. The sister he helped raise. The sister he helped protect. The sister he helped train. The sister he-

The sister he loved.

Kai leapt to his feet and fled. Summoning his fire and shooting off into the sky. He headed straight for the Wailing Alps, where he knew Jay was chilling out.

As he predicted, the ex-blue ninja was sitting in a cave in the wailing alps. His bright blue eyes intense and sparking with electricity. Lightning arced up and down his arms, as they usually did when he was conjuring up a storm.

“Jay,” Kai started, standing directly in front of his friend. “Jay, we need to talk.”

He blinked, his eyes still glowing bright blue but the lightning down his arms lessening. “Oh, hello Kai. How was your trip?”

“I-” he choked up, “I can’t do this anymore.”

“What?” Jay asked, his eyes staring to focus on Kai.

“I killed her!”

“Who?”

“NYA!”

Jay snapped back to reality, all his focus on Kai. “What?” He asked, his voice dangerously low.

Kai ignored the hot tears spilling down his cheeks. “We were fighting and, and I killed her. Like the monster she thought I was.” He turned away from Jay, not wanting to look into those intense eyes. “This isn’t who I want to be.”

Jay grabbed Kai’s shoulder and turned him around. “Then who do you want to be?” He asked, his voice returned to its normal calm.

Kai shrugged, “I don’t want to be anyone anymore.” He gripped Jay’s shoulder, “But, what about you?”

Jay placed his free hand on Kai’s. “I’ll go with you,” he explained, “It wouldn’t be fun alone,” he added, pulling Kai into a hug.

They stayed there for quite some time, enjoying the company of each other. Eventually, they released, both smiling wistfully.

“Where to first?”


	6. Murder - Alternate Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An alternate end to Kai and Nya's final battle.

"You know what sis, I am pretty happy."

Her chin burned. Her tears evaporating before they could flow.

"And I have you to thank for it."

Her chest hurt. Her gi burning despite the rain.

"So, thanks, sis."

Nya shot to a sitting position and rose, higher and higher across the sky. What was this feeling, was there a feeling? It was something, a pull, drawing her onwards.

"NYA!"

The voice was right in her ear but, no one was there. Were those hands on her chest? But, no one was there.

"NYA! COME ON NYA!" Nya stopped her race across the sky, turning back towards the voice. It was so warm. So inviting. But the pull, the force pulling her onwards.

"NYA! Please!"

The voice seemed further away now. The pull inside her growing stronger.

"Nya, please."

The voice was like a whisper now, the pull too strong to resist.

She followed it, through the blue. Through the white. Where even was she? The white turned to dark. Nya looked down at her hands _.  _ Where her hands should be. Panic enveloped her, why couldn't she see her hands? Where was her body? What was going on?

"I killed her."

That voice. It was, so familiar, so warm and yet, it sent shivers down her spine. Why did she feel so angry?

"Who?" A second voice, so hauntingly familiar. Who were these people? What had they done?

"NYA!"

"Who?" Still so far away.

"NYA!" Wait.

"What?" Wasn't that her name?

"We were fighting and, and I killed her." Wait. Kai? It all came crashing back.

Finding Kai in the village, confronting him, fighting him. The searing pain. She died, didn't she? Kai killed her. Her brother killed her.

Instead of sadness, rage welled inside her. How dare he. The monster! How dare he take so many lives, take her parents from her, take her from her friends, her family!

She could feel strength returning to her. Solidity, or as much solidity as she could get being a ghost. Yes, a ghost. Her arms, coming into sight with an unnerving green glow, confirmed it.

"I will make you regret this." Nya said, her rage overwhelming any surprise at hearing her own words.

With her strength, came awareness. Her surroundings becoming clear. She was in a cave, and from the howling winds outside it was high up in the alps. Her brother and Jay, for he must've been the second voice, were no longer there.

Nya closed and focused. Focused on that pull, that force linking her to her murderer.

There.

She smiled, her lips curling into a malicious grin. Nya let herself float and followed the pull. Ready to see her brother again, and make him pay.

———

(alternate, happy ending)

Zane braced himself and ignored the searing pain as he rammed into Kai. He knelt over Nya, his scanners checking her vitals.

"NYA! Oh no. Please no."

He reached into pack and pulled out a healing salve for burns, specially made for dealing with Kai's intense fire. He hastily rubbed it over her burns, oh god her burns, and began compressions. He didn't feel relieved when the temperature dropped dramatically, indicating Kai's departure. He couldn't.

"NYA! COME ON!" He knelt down and gave two breaths before returning to compressions. "NYA!"

A lightning bolt flashed on his screens. At first he flinched, but the feeling past when he realised it's meaning. He rubbed his hands together and pressed them against Nya's chest. His heart ached when her limp body collapsed against the ground.

"NYA! Please!"

He continued compressions until the bolt flashed again. He rubbed his hands and pressed.

Nya sat up, nearly head-butting Zane, gasping for air.

He pulled her into a hug, tears streaming down his eyes. "Oh Nya, it's okay. It's going to be okay."


End file.
